pieceHomes premiered at Dwell on Design last month with seven modern prefab designs that take full green advantage of factory-built construction. Created by LA-based Davis Studio Architecture + Design, pieceHomes hold the promise of thoughtful integration of materials, technologies, and site considerations with both custom and standardized modular architecture at affordable prices.

The line ranges from the 320 sf Container House to the 1825 sf Venice Two. Each design incorporates green materials, energy efficient technologies and sustainable construction practices at three different “levels” of green and in 2-3 color palates. The flexibility gives homeowners the chance to bring affordability into the pieceHomes prefab package which can include solar panels, green roofs and low or no-VOC paints and finishes among other green building elements. The architecture firm will also offer full custom designs as well as site design services.

West Coast manufacturer XtremeHomes will be the production partner controlling issues of quality, cost, energy consumption, waste and environmental impact. Together, the team behind pieceHomes anticipates costs for a complete, installed home to be under $200 per square foot.

The first custom designed house from pieceHomes is underway for a site in Los Angeles. Packed with green elements like stack ventilation, passive and active solar, bamboo floors, recycled glass tiles, soy-based spray-in foam insulation, water conserving fixtures and solar reflective roofing material, the project is expected to be completed near the end of this year. pieceHomes is also making a presence throughout LA in small-lot subdivision projects, urban in-fill developments and, in Seattle, with a floating house boat.

It’s the initial seven standard designs that caught our eye though. Particularly the ‘Solar Passage’ (first image), a 1,540 sf home that uses integrated solar photovoltaic to create shade and energy with a welcoming façade. And the ‘3×4’ line up (below) which stacks beautifully with over 300 sf of elevated outdoor living space. It will be exciting to see where these and other pieceHomes pop up as they transform from renderings to affordable, green prefab realities.

Love receiving your mails and finding information from them for the Greenhouse section of the magazine. I really hope that our government gets to read them as they are a really good alternative to the way we are currently building affordable homes for the those that need them.